National Student Employment Week

Each year colleges and universities across the country recognize the importance of the student employee experience during National Student Employment Week. Student employment offers students career-enhancing opportunities, the ability to develop skills relevant in any career, and better preparation for the job market upon graduation.

On their campuses and throughout their communities, student employees perform invaluable services with enthusiasm, dedication, and initiative. Indeed, most schools and surrounding businesses depend on the contributions of this reliable workforce for the efficient operation of the campus and community.

Each year Texas A&M University celebrates National Student Employment Week during the second full week of April. National Student Employment Week enables us to recognize and thank Texas A&M students for the contributions they make as employees to the University and the Bryan/College Station community.

Supervisors

Each year Texas A&M University celebrates National Student Employment Week (NSEW) during the second full week of April. This year we will celebrate April 12th- 18th, 2020. NSEW enables us to thank Texas A&M students for the contributions they make as employees to the University and the surrounding community.

The Student Employment Office partners with local businesses to provide a wide variety of prizes to student employees as a way of saying “thank you” for the wonderful work that they do across the community. During the weeklong celebration, students who work part-time on or off campus are encouraged to visit one of our resource tables to play games, win prizes and pick up free gifts and discounts.

Student Employee of the Year ceremony (by invitation only)

The ceremony honors all eligible Student Employee of the Year nominees and awards two outstanding student employees, one employed on-campus and one employed off-campus. The ceremony concludes with the announcement of the on- and off-campus Student Employee of the Year award recipients. Each recipient is awarded a scholarship sponsored by the Association of Former Students.

Supervisors

National Student Employment Week (NSEW) presents a unique and rare opportunity for your business to have an on-campus marketing presence. Just as in previous years, all sponsors will be recognized on promotional signage at each event and in all marketing materials. You can be a sponsor in any of the following ways:

Offering a discount or special promotion during the month of April to TAMU student employees who present a pay stub and a TAMU student ID. Examples: $5 off a meal, free Danish with purchase of coffee or drink; 10% off any purchase; reduced admission prices; buy one get one free, etc.

Provide an item to be included in the drawing to take place during NSEW. Examples: Gift cards; Gift baskets; T-shirts; Tickets, etc.

Provide promotional items to be handed out to students during the week.

Thank you to those who have already committed their support!

For more information on National Student Employment Week, please contact the Student Employment Office at 979-845-0686 or jobsforaggies@tamu.edu.

During National Student Employment Week festivities, the Student Employee of the Year Awards Ceremony will honor two outstanding student employees selected from nominated candidates, one employed on-campus and one employed off-campus. Award recipients will receive a scholarship sponsored by the Association of Former Students. In addition, the Class of 56’ Student Employee Endowment Scholarships will be granted to a nominee(s) meeting the award criteria.

Nominee Criteria

Must be a Texas A&M University - College Station student currently working in a Student Employee capacity.

Working an average of 12 - 25 hours per week with their main focus being school.

May be undergraduate or graduate but not a Graduate Assistant nor Teaching Assistant.

Must have been employed a minimum of six (6) months by February 9, 2020.

Must be enrolled at least ½ time (6 hours undergraduate, 5 hours graduate) at Texas A&M - College Station for the Spring 2020 term.

Must be maintaining a 3.0 GPR or above during the semesters that the student is employed (to be calculated by Student Employment Office).

Please keep the following guidelines in mind:

Must be nominated by supervisor or staff member.

Each office may only nominate one student for every 100 student employees in the office (Please use your office’s official title including department and area).

Each student may only be nominated once for each position they hold. All subsequent forms from the same hiring department will not be reviewed. You may attach two additional support documents that are each no more than 2 pages in length. These additional documents may be uploaded until the nomination period closes.

University staff and community employers will score the written nominations. The student employees selected will be announced during the Student Employee of the Year award ceremony and reception held in April.

Qualified nominees, two guests of their choice, as well as the nominator are invited to attend the ceremony for a total of four attendees per nomination.

Qualified nominees will be requested to submit a 5X7 portrait photo to be featured at the ceremony.

Tips for nominating your student employee

It is best to gather all letters of support and additional documentation before completing the nomination form. Please note that you may only attach two additional support documents that are each no more than 2 pages in length. If you must upload documents after the form is submitted, please save the confirmation email, as it has specific instructions on how to do this.

Nominations will be reviewed for minimum eligibility requirements. Only students meeting the minimum eligibility requirements will be reviewed and recognized at the awards ceremony in April. The most common reason a student does not meet the minimum requirements is that their GPR during semesters worked is below a 3.0 (although their overall GPR may be at or above a 3.0). The Student Employee of the Year should be maintaining academic performance while working.

Avoid only using general statements when writing the nomination, as reviewers will be reading for specific examples of how this student demonstrates the following: Communication, Digital Technology, Problem Solving, Professionalism/Work Ethic, Intercultural Fluency, Career Management, Leadership and Teamwork.

Please limit nominations to one per office. If you are part of a large department, be as specific as possible as to what area you are in to help us track nominations per office.

Do you have a unique job? The Student Employment Office would love to hear about it! Tell us why your job is the most unique in 250 words or less and email a picture of you on the job to jobsforaggies@tamu.edu. To show our appreciation for your unique work, the top most unique job submission will receive a prize and be recognized during National Student Employment Week held each year!

The 2020 Most Unique Job Contest Winner Paige McLaughlin

I work at the Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections (BRTC) as head of the dermestid beetle colony, bird prep worker, and general student worker. I have also participated in the oVert project as a data manager.

The main part of my job is being the head of the beetle colony. This means that I prepare specimens for skeletonizaton, clean and prep the bones, ensure the cleaned specimens are given to the correct collection, and make sure the colony is healthy and clean. Dermestid beetles eat the flesh of dead animals, making them perfectly suited to cleaning specimens that are to be skeletonized. Currently, many of the specimens being cleaned are native Texas species that are to be taken to Italy. They will be given to researchers there, who have partnered with us, allowing the BRTC to collect specimens of Italian birds.

In addition to working with the beetles, I do many other jobs at the BRTC. I worked on the oVert project; managing the data of thousands of the BRTC’s specimens - and helping to scan a few - so that the information can be shared with researchers, educational groups and many others world wide. I also help to prep salvaged bird specimens, catalog incoming specimens and place them into the collections, as well as any other small jobs that contribute to the upkeep, organization, and smooth running of the BRTC.

Congratulations, Paige McLaughlin for the Most Unique Job Contest Winner!

Guidelines for submissions:

Currently enrolled Texas A&M students employed on or off campus are eligible to enter.

You must currently be employed in the position.

Photos should demonstrate as much as possible why the job is unique. Entries without a photo will NOT be considered!

Photo size should be no larger than 500 KB.

Only photos in jpeg or gif format will be accepted.

Entries are limited to 250 words or less.

Entries for the 2021 contest will be accepted beginning in the Spring 2021. Details regarding the submission period will be announced in January 2021.

This award recognizes the outstanding contributions of a Texas A&M faculty or staff member who has had a profound impact on a student employee or student employment as a whole. Nominations are accepted from faculty, staff, and students and the award is presented annually at the Student Employee of the Year Awards Ceremony held each April.

Nominations will open spring 2021.

The Student Employee of the Year Award was established by the National Student Employment Association to encourage higher education campuses to honor one outstanding student employee for excellence on the job and in their academic pursuits. In 2007, Texas A&M expanded its program to present two student employee of the year awards, the Texas A&M Community Student Employee of the Year and The Texas A&M Campus Student Employee of the Year. Congratulations to all our exceptional student employees who have been recognized through the years for their accomplishments.

On the occasion of their fiftieth anniversary, the Texas A&M Class of 1956 established the Class of 1956 Student Employee Endowed Award to assist outstanding student employees in the completion of their degree. Congratulations to all our exceptional student employees who have been recognized through the years for their accomplishments.